Audit Methodology
How PropVault Verifies a Vault
Every PropVault is an append-only ledger of property evidence.
This page explains:
- What is recorded
- Who can contribute
- How integrity is maintained
- How verification feeds the PropVault Score
The Ledger — Not a Folder
A Vault is not a collection of files. It is a structured, ordered ledger.
Each entry contains:
- A payload (the document or data)
- A contributor role
- Cryptographic hashes linking it to the previous entry
Entries are never edited or overwritten. The record grows only by appending new entries.
This design allows anyone to:
- Recompute hashes
- Verify sequence integrity
- Confirm the record has not been altered
Document Categories (Completeness)
Document entries are classified into nine standard categories. The Completeness component of the PropVault Score reflects how many categories are represented by at least one visible, non-redacted document.
Categories
- Land & Title — Survey, title insurance, legal description, environmental reports
- Structural — Foundation, framing, seismic, roof assembly
- Envelope & Materials — Windows, insulation, cladding, air barrier
- Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing — HVAC, panels, plumbing, hot water systems
- Permits & Compliance — Permits, inspections, occupancy, energy certifications
- Design — Architect, interior, landscape, builder attestations
- Warranties & Service — Manufacturer warranties, service contracts, maintenance
- Legal & Disclosure — Disclosures, HOA documents, easements, litigation
- Other — Items not covered above
Contributor Roles & Verification Weight
Each document entry is associated with a contributor role.
The Verification component of the Score evaluates only document entries. Each role is mapped to a confidence tier and weighted accordingly.
| Role | Tier | Role in Methodology |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited Auditor | Verified | Independent professionals with the highest evidentiary weight |
| Municipal Feed | Verified | Authoritative public records and permit data |
| Trade Contributor | Corroborated | Licensed contractors and specialists |
| Owner | Attested | Property owner uploads and statements |
| System | — | Ledger operations (not counted toward verification) |
Independent and public sources carry more weight than owner-provided information.
Integrity & Chain Verification
The ledger is validated by walking the full sequence of entries:
- Recompute each entry's content hash from its payload
- Recompute each chain hash using the previous entry
- Confirm sequence continuity and linkage
The system flags:
- Missing or skipped entries
- Broken hash links
- Any mismatch between stored and recomputed values
A single alteration breaks the chain — which is the intended design of a tamper-evident record.
On the public Vault view, buyers can see whether the chain verifies. Closing artifacts can include the same verification result to ensure the transferred record matches the committed ledger.
Redactions & Scoring
Some entries may be redacted for privacy or legal reasons.
- Redacted documents remain part of the ledger history
- However, they are excluded from scoring calculations
This ensures the PropVault Score reflects only what is visible and verifiable to a reviewer.
Recency & Warranty Coverage
Additional scoring factors include:
- Recency — Older entries decay in weight over time
- Warranty Coverage — Active protections on key systems increase confidence
These components are calculated separately and combined into the final score.
For full details, see the Score methodology.
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